Penitence is the way to learn past lessons

We didn't have a religion of our own in the real sense in our entire history of civilization, and neither do we have a tradition of penitence although Confucius did say a lot about how a person should behave to become a man of moral integrity. There is a difference between trying to be a good person and developing a sense of penitence and penance.

A recently-published book points to the necessity of Chinese intellectuals developing such awareness. Why Chinese intellectuals rather than other social groups? It is because they have, since ancient times, been considered a group that sets an example for the rest of society when it comes to social values. They have the respect of their countrymen because they show them how they should behave in a decent manner.

The book Criminal Archives of Nie Gannu reveals how Nie Gannu (1903-86), a well-known poet and essayist, was sentenced to life as a "counter-revolutionary" in 1974. It is beyond many people's imagination that one of his best friends, well-known painter Huang Miaozi, was the major informer. He noted down what Nie said each time while they drank liquor and then reported it to the public security officials.